


Rhoslyn and the Faerie Courts

by Kon13



Category: Original Work
Genre: Celtic Mythology & Folklore, Gen, Original Character(s), Phouka - Freeform, Pixies, Seelie Court, Unseelie Court
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-10-14
Updated: 2012-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-18 08:52:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1422145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kon13/pseuds/Kon13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mischievous phouka goes on about in her daily life working for hire everyday. But a dark secret is creeping into Rhoslyn's life and with her closest friend Fen keeping secrets from her, how will she avoid this tragic life she's discovering?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ!!!! 
> 
> So, this is my first post of a story that I came up with myself. Of course this is mythology. I obviously didn’t come up with all this myself. I don’t take credit for anything that isn’t mine. All that I can claim as mine is the story line and made up characters. In the future some will or may be some characters, name and character-wise, that will greatly resemble the faeries of mythology and I do not claim to have created them.
> 
> Remember, while reading this, just have fun! I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it! Now! To the story!

Run!

  
That was all Rhoslyn could think. She turned and darted through the sand, running as fast as she could. The desert wind felt like needles against her skin and it stuck to the fluff of her cat ears, slightly muting some of the noise, but she had no time to dwell on it. She felt the tremors under her feet through the sand and looked back over her shoulder.

  
Rising out from under the sand, was a massive pale yellow body. Sand falling from his horned head and shoulders, the monster looked straight at her. “Where phouka going!”  
She smirked back at the ogre and stuck her tongue out at him, tempting the beast. It roared and trudged toward her, sweeping low with his hands to grab her. She laughed and picked up her pace, keeping just out of his reach.

  
Suddenly, the ogre jumped toward her and grabbed her in his enormous fist.

  
“Want back what was stolen! Your games not fun!”

  
The ogre tightened his grip on her as she writhed and wiggled, trying to escape.

  
“Aw, you know it’s fun, Uggluk!”

  
“No!” Uggluk squeezed her tighter. “Give it back!”

  
She sighed and shook her head. “Oh alright, alright let me go it’s in my pocket.”

  
Glaring at her, Uggluk put her down, holding his hand out to her.

  
She dug into her pocket and clamped her fist around it. She held it up and he pushed his hand closer. She dropped the item in his hand.

  
Uggluk moved his hand closer to his face to see it, only to find a little pixie, sitting on his palm, blinking up at him in terror. He roared and threw the poor pixie to the ground, which exploded into a poof of leaves fluttering to the ground. Uggluk looked down to where Rhoslyn was standing, only to find an empty space. She laughed and Uggluk looked up to see her crossing over a hill.

  
“Rhoslyn! You damned phouka!” The Ogre yelled.

  
“Thanks Uggy baby for the tooth.” She winked and disappeared down the hill. Just in time to miss the roar from Uggluk and the boulder he threw at her.

  
She smiled, feeling the trembling sand fade away and she took a few steps and stuffed the tooth inside her trench coat. She slid down the side of the hill, causing a blur of sand behind her. As she reached the bottom of the hill, she stood upright, dusting off her clothes.

  
“Tsk. Sand is such a pain to get out.” She tried to shake the sand from her ears and tail, but she still felt sand in every nook.

  
She sighed and looked around at her surroundings and found the jungle in the distance. She flicked her auburn hair over her shoulder and started walking.

  
After a few minutes of walking she reached the jungle. She approached a tree with a scarlet cloth tied to it and placed her hand against its trunk. A light burst from the tree, revealing a door and she stepped through.

  
On the other side was a busy dirt street full of all kinds of faery from many different courts, Seelie, Unseelie, and many other smaller courts alike. Banshees, dwarfs, dryads, fir darrigs, goblins, pixies and many others roamed the street. Rhoslyn stepped through, earning a hiss from a passing swelled up spriggan. She grimaced at the grotesque creature but dismissed him, walking through the crowd of faeries.

  
She cut across the crowd and headed straight into an alley. As she walked she saw the shadow of a boogie following her, reaching towards her, but she kept her pace. When one of the shadows nearly touched her, she spun and grabbed the boogie’s pale, thin neck and squeezed tightly, digging her black nails into his skin and glaring into the black depths of his eyes.

  
“I’m busy boogie. Fuck off.” She pushed him back and he stumbled for a moment, but regained balance, turned and walked out of the alley, glaring back at her. Rhoslyn watched until he disappeared into the madness of faeries on the street and then she turned, walking further down the alley. She passed many dark shadows and could feel eyes on her, but she pushed forward, ignoring the hisses and growls she received.

  
After various turns and curves, she came to high iron gate. She glanced down both sides of the alley, smiling. No fey would dare come close to iron, even if it was just an illusion.

She walked straight into the gate. At first the gate rippled, but once she walked through, it snapped back into its previous shape.

  
She blinked, adjusting to the darkness she stepped into. Once crimson eyes had adjusted, she looked around to see a black abyss with random colored doors floating in their places. She looked around and found the orange door. As she paced toward it, she counted down from twelve, but she had to be sure to leave out the six, or this would never work.

  
“Twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven, five, four, three, two, one.”

  
She stood just past the orange door and an ink-like substance flooded up from the black nothingness below her. The dark goo molded into a door with a door knob that was the face of a screaming ghoul. She slid her middle and ring fingers down the ghoul’s throat. The ghoul choked and she grimaced and turned her fingers clockwise until there was a ‘click’. She pulled her fingers loose and the door drifted open and she stepped through.

  
Once through she was met by a seductive looking glaistig, who was looking at Rhoslyn expectantly from behind a wooden counter.

  
“Did you get what I aaaaasked, Rhos?” Her ‘a’ dragged like that of a goat, which she only did in front of Rhoslyn.

  
“Yea I got it Basil.” Rhoslyn never understood why people called her Rhos half the time. It wasn’t even pronounced right for the spelling. Everyone said it rose but spelled it Rhos.

There was no point to it. Nothing about her was flower-like, much less a rose. Nevertheless, Rhoslyn pulled the ogre tooth from her coat and laid it on the counter.

  
Basil coughed. “Well it certainly smells of an ogre.”

  
She picked up the tooth and inspected it with ‘hmm’s and nods. When she was done she set it back down.

  
“I’ll give you 21 silver for it.”

  
Rhoslyn brow furrowed. “What? We agreed on 27 silver!”

  
“Yes, if you brought me a new tooth. This one is obviously a baby tooth that has long since fallen out.”

  
“No! Don’t even lie to me you stinking nanny! You never said a ‘new’ tooth! Give me my 27 silver! Or so help me I will jump over that counter and rip those horns from your head!”

  
Basil looked Rhoslyn in the eye blankly. Rhoslyn waited for an answer from the glaistig before she strangled her, never taking her eyes from her large, oddly shaped, pupils.

  
Basil sighed. “Fine, but you better not screw up the next order. I’ll trick the damn redcap somehow.” She reached under the counter and dropped a brown bag on the counter and Rhoslyn opened it to make sure she got all her pay.

  
“Well, tell me the whole order next time hag.” Rhoslyn grunted and walked to the door in the corner of the room and pushed through. She walked into the dimly lit room and kicked off her boots and took off her coat and draped it on her coat rack and fell face first into the flat pillow. She laid there, unmoving, eyes closed until she heard a quiet tap.

She turned her head to the side and slid her arm off the bed so her knuckles were on the floor, her palm up.

  
She felt little feet climb up onto her hand and little arms go partly around her thumb. She slowly pulled her hand back up to the bed next to her.

  
“Hey Fen. You held the fort well today.”

  
A little pixie stepped from behind Rhoslyn’s thumb and smiled.

  
Every phouka has one thing that is most precious to them. One thing that they are confident will always be theirs. For Rhoslyn, this tiny pixie was it.

  
He crawled down onto the bed and made his way up to her pillow.

  
“You feeling any better today?”

  
Fen’s shoulder’s drooped and he shook his head.

  
Rhoslyn tipped the pale slender chin up with a black nail, to meet her eyes. “It’ll be okay. I’m sure you’ll be back to normal in no time.”

  
Fen’s shoulders seemed to drop even further and he turned glancing back towards Rhoslyn, dread in his eyes.

  
She looked him in his silver eyes. “Fen, I won’t let you stay wingless. I’ll find some way to help you get your wings back and I’ll kill the bastard who ripped them off. We’ll head back to the Unseelie Court and then you’ll talk to me again, right?”

  
Her hand moved up to her pillow and she softly caressed his face. Fen wrapped his arms around it and hugged as tightly as his little arms could. Rhoslyn cupped him in her hand and pulled him closer to her face and he climbed up her shoulder length auburn hair and snuggled into the warmth of her cat ears. His shoulders heaved as his tears started flowing silently and Rhoslyn stroked his short white hair.

  
After a while of tears and comforting mutterings and gestures, Fen fell asleep nestled behind Rhoslyn’s furry ear. She stayed awake and continued stroking his feather soft hair, listening to quiet breaths of sleep and occasional snore. She sighed and nestled down into her bed and slowly fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Rhoslyn woke to a few stray rays of sunlight in her eyes. She really needed to fix the damn boards; it’s too bright in the mornings. She covered her eyes with her arm, hating that she knew she had to get up. She never fixed the damn boards because she knew they were what made sure she got up on time for any job she may have to do for Basil.

  
She sat up groggily and stretched, rubbing her eyes and she looked around. “Fen, you here?”

  
She didn’t hear any tap so she figured he’d gone off to do whatever it is he can do while he’s that size.

  
She slid her feet off the bed and onto the wood floor. She walked to the mirror on the wall and yawned heavily, looking in the mirror at the grubby looking face. She needed a shower. She could still feel the sand clinging to her body, but the damned glaistig probably used all the hot water again.

  
“Oh fuck it.” She opened up the dresser beneath the mirror and pulled out a black tank top and black fading jeans, along with matching black bra and underwear. She like mortal clothes better than the frilly, sheik stuff summer fey liked to wear. She folded them and put them in a black bag full of whatever bathing utensils she needed and slid on her boots and jacket. She pushed her way out the door and walked out the front door into a town’s street.

  
It looked a lot like the market from the day before, but more clean and less chaotic. Strangely it was more organized and calm than usual.

  
She looked up and saw dark clouds bellowing in.

  
“That would be why.” She muttered to herself.

  
She turned down the street and walked past a couple of houses, stores, and a bar. When she reached closer to the end, she walked to a door that had ‘Merrow’s Bath House’ carved in it.

  
She pushed through and found the place relatively empty, thankfully, and walked to the counter where a fish skinned woman sat, dipping her feet in a round wooden tub of water.

  
“Hey Rhos! Basil use all the hot water again?” The sapphire haired beauty laughed.

  
“Most likely. Got a bath open for me?” Rhos leaned her elbows on the countertop.

  
“Of course!” Merrow leaned down under the counter and pulled out a red wooden slab with a string through it and pushed her wavy hair from her face.

  
“Here ya go, only the best for my favorite kitty!” She smiled handing Rhoslyn the slab. “If you ever want some company, just holler.” She smiled, showing her slightly sharpened teeth.

  
Rhoslyn laughed and put her payment on the counter and pushed away from the counter and started walking towards the door frame beside the counter.

  
“As long as you don’t try and nibble on me like last time and smack me with your fin. I’ll call if I need ya.” She brushed the cloth covering the door aside and stepped into a hallway and took the very last door on the right. She put the slab on the door and walked into the steamy hot room with a giant tub in the corner.

  
She put her jacket on a wooden hook and kicked her shoes off, pulling a black string from her hair, letting her half pulled up pony tail fall to her shoulders and lay straight. She started peeling clothes from her slender body and dropping them on the floor.

  
There was more sand than she thought as more and more puffs of sand arose when she dropped her clothes. Falling to the floor on her hands and feet, she shook herself to dislodging sand from her body and walked over to the tub and toed the water. It was hot enough to scold her, exactly how she liked it. Sinking in the tub till her head rested on the rim of the tub, she relaxed, her ears flitting for a moment.

  
Damn she loved hot baths after getting so dirty. It felt like all the grime just slides off her body and out of existence, partially because it did. A potion was put in the bath water that instantly killed any kind of dirt or grime or any other unwanted substance from your skin and hair.

  
She relaxed in the tub, moving only occasionally to flip to her stomach and perch her arms on the side of the tub. Eventually, after she relaxed all she wanted, she slid down till her head was under the water. When she resurfaced, she reached out of the tub and pulled her bag over and pulled out a cube a little smaller than her soft padded palm. She pulled off the lid and dabbed her fingers in the slick liquid, pulling out some on her fingers. She put the cube on the floor and smeared the liquid over both hands and neatly slid her fingers through her now wet hair. Even though the water cleaned everything, she liked to rewash her hair and fur. It always made it feel even softer, and face it, who doesn’t like that?

  
She lathered up all of her hair and dipped her hair gingerly in the water, running her fingers through it. After doing this to all of her hair she reached out of the tub again and pulled out a slightly smaller cube and set it on the floor. It had a milkier look to it. She dabbed two fingers in it and smeared it against her thumb and did the same with her other hand. She gingerly started rubbing it into her ears, massaging it through all the fur. Once she had finished her ears, she stood and scooped up more of the milky liquid and massaged it into all of her tail. She lowered herself into the water, sliding her fingers down her tail, and then slid down into the tub again and washed her ears.

  
She climbed out of the tub, shaking water from her ears, and grabbed a fluffy cloth from a wooden hook and started to dry herself. She towel dried her skin and pulled a white cloth from her bag and pulled it along her tail, instantly drying it. This was something she stole off a brownie in the past. It was one of the best steals she ever made, of course, since word between brownies travel fast and she stole it when he wasn’t done cleaning with it, many of them didn’t think too kindly of her, but who cares. She stole it fair and square. She dried her hair and ears softly also. She dunked the cloth in the tub and wringed it dry. She dropped it back in her bag and shoveled everything else in, making sure all her cubes were tightly shut.

  
She made her way to the counter with a mirror, avoiding the sand piles on the floor. She pulled on her clothes and strapped a belt around her waist, which ended up rather crooked, and raked her fingers through her hair and tied it back up into a half ponytail with the black string.

  
When she was all done she put her boots and jacket back on and gathered all her things in the bag and walked out. She grabbed the red wooden slab and could already hear the brownies getting to work cleaning up the now dirty bath room she left behind.

  
She walked out into the lobby to find the room was mostly filled now and Merrow was busy accepting her customers. Rhoslyn slid the slab over the counter to her and waved her goodbyes and walked out of the bath house.

  
She made her way back to Basil’s and found a customer with inside with her, his long pointed ears protruding from his long black hair.

  
Basil’s gaze flickered back behind the tall dark figure and found her. “Rhoslyn, come meet our new customer, Draven. You’ll be doing a job for him today.”

  
Basil gestured to Rhoslyn and he turned, his black eyes found her. His skin was such a dark blue, it almost looked black.

  
Shock took over his grim features for just a moment before he recollected himself and turning back to Basil.

  
“I do not want a ‘phouka’ to do this job for me.” The word ‘phouka’ seemed to seethe through his fanged teeth.

  
Basil tilted her head back to the side, crossing her arms and propping one up for her hand to rest on her cheek bone, one long figure tapping irritably.

  
“This ‘phouka’,” Basil bit out the word, “Has been the best worker I’ve had in centuries. If you do not want your job done quickly and efficiently, then I recommend a desperate little hobgoblin down the street. I’m sure he’ll gladly half ass it for you, ‘sir’.” Sarcasm was heavy on that last word.

  
She gestured gracefully to the door and his face darkened. Rhoslyn watch Basil’s steady inhuman glare on the angered fey. After a long moment, he faltered, his lips that had formed a tight line, finally relaxed their line.

  
“Fine, the phouka will do my bidding, but, I will accompany her to be sure it is done right.”

  
Basil nodded, pulling slips of paper from under the desk. “As you wish. When will you depart?”

  
“Now.” Was his only reply.

  
Basil’s gaze turned to Rhoslyn then. “Go gather what will be needed for this job. We will finish the paperwork and wait for you.”

  
Rhoslyn nodded, walking towards the door to her room.

  
“Don’t,” Draven’s words were clipped and she didn’t even bother to look back at him but her furred ear snapped back to listen. “Make me wait, phouka.”

  
She pushed through her door and threw her bag on the floor by the wooden coat rack, rummaging through the drawers of the dresser. She pulled a new set of clothes out and threw them on her bed with various other things from the room.

  
She pulled a small cube, barely the size of her thumb, out from under her black leather belt under her trench coat. She she placed it in her palm and closed her eyes a moment.

Focusing on the cube, she whispered, “Expand.” Opening her eyes she found the cube much larger. She set in on her bed and folded her clothes inside and placed the other things on top. She picked the cube back up into her palm and whispered again. “Compact.” The cube went back to its original size and she squeezed it shut with a ‘click’ and put it back under her belt.

  
She turned and knelt to the floor.

  
“Fen, you here? I need to talk to you for a second.”

  
She heard the familiar faint tapping and looked to the corner, behind the dresser. She walked over and knelt down, holding an open hand down for him to climb up on. She brought him closer to her face.

  
“I got a job and I’m not sure how long I’m going to be gone. Hold the fort for me?”

  
Fen smiled and nodded happily, earning a smile from Rhoslyn.

  
“Thanks. I have to get going. Draven isn’t too happy about a phouka doing his job for him.” She moved to place her hand back on the floor for him to get down, but was stopped by the look on Fen’s face.

  
Pure horror.

  
“Fen, what’s wrong?”

  
Fen started shaking his head almost savagely looking up at her. He grabbed her thumb and held tight.

  
“You don’t want me to go? But, you were fine with it just a second ago.” She thought for a moment.

  
“You only flipped when I said Dra”

  
Something inside her snapped and she had to slam her free hand on the floor to keep from doing a face plant on the rough wood floor.

  
Her vision blacked out and a dark blurry picture took its place. Flashes of armor and swords being thrust towards her seemed to just narrowly miss her. Suddenly the picture jerked forward, as if a strike landed from behind. Stumbling, the picture started to fade to a deep red and turned to look at who landed the blow. She couldn’t see past the haze of red, but a strong built, armor clad body was visible. The picture started to swirl and her own vision returned to her.

  
Wide eyed, she found herself hunched over, breathing hard. Her face was nearly touching the floor. She felt Fen’s panicked hands stroking her cheek. She looked down at him and worry was etched into his face.

  
“I’m okay.” She muttered. Fen still looked terrified for her and continued to stroke her cheek.

  
She tried to smile, but she felt as if it was an exhausted one. “I’m okay Fen, really. I just got dizzy for a minute there.”

  
She sat up slowly, wiping her sleeve over her now sweaty brow. Fen moved to her knee, gazing up at her and she caressed his cheek.

  
“I’m sorry. I scared you.”

  
A harsh knock came to her door and she and the pixie jumped. “Rhoslyn, hurry up and get out here.” Basil called through the door.

  
Rhoslyn stood, wary of the little pixie at her feet.

  
“I have to go Fen. I’ll be back as soon as I can, okay?”

  
Fen still looked worried but nodded, waving bye. She waved and pushed through her door.

  
Grim faced still, Draven stood, arms crossed.

  
“I thought I told not to make me wait, phouka.”

  
“And I thought I worked alone. Guess we both thought wrong.” Rhoslyn turned to Basil. “Give me the run down.”

  
Basil opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Draven. “I will explain on the way.” He turned and walked out the door.

  
Rhoslyn spared a glace back at Basil, who mouthed, ‘Be good’ before turning back to her paper work.

  
Rhoslyn turned to follow the dark stranger. She was sooooo looking forward to this.

  
Not.

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

 

As Rhoslyn stepped out the door, she found it had started raining. The dark clouds from earlier in the morning had finally fallen on the town.

  
She glanced around and found Draven halfway down the street. She followed after him and slowed to a walk beside him, but not close enough that the streams of water falling from his black trench coat hit her.

  
“So what’s this job?” She asked over a crack of thunder, not bothering to look at the taller man.

  
“We must go through the Abyssal Gate first.”

  
“What’s in the Abyss for you?” She looked over at him questioningly.

  
“Nothing for me, only my Queen.”

  
“Fine then, what’s in there for your Queen?”

  
Draven’s gaze trailed over to her, a trail of water splashed his face. “Something lost.”

  
Rhoslyn rolled her eyes as she followed him as he turned down another street.

  
“And that would be? I can’t do my job if I’m not told what my job is.” Thunder cracked again, seeming to rise with her frustration.

  
“A human child.”

  
Rhoslyn jerked to a stop. “What? I think I just heard you wrong. Did you say a human child?”

  
Draven stopped, looking back at her. “Yes, I said a human child. Now will you move your feet or do I have to go to the dumbfounded hobgoblin?”

  
Rhoslyn resumed walking. “Why would the Queen have a human child? And why would she go to the length of the Abyssal Gate to get him back? How did they even get there?”

  
“This job does not require you to know anything besides there is a human child in the Abyssal Gate that you are to get for me.”

  
“Well, aren’t you a pain in the ass.” Rhoslyn huffed.

  
“No, I was thinking you were more so the ‘pain in the ass’, phouka.”

  
Rhoslyn ran the last few steps and grabbed Draven by the shoulder, twisting him around to face her.

  
“I am not a pain in the ass! I don’t trust your kind! And the fact that you are coming along on my job because you don’t like phoukas pisses me off! Why don’t you just do it yourself if your coming anyway?”

  
Draven just glared at her for a moment and clenched his fist, it was faster than she thought fey could move and a second later she was lying on the muddied ground. She faintly heard a crack of thunder over the impact.

  
“Do ‘not’ raise your voice to me. Do ‘not’ underestimate me. And do ‘not’, ever, touch me.”

  
The blow had hit her hard enough that she had forgotten how to breathe, and she struggled to gasp in a breath. She gagged and sucked in so much air that it hurt.

  
“Move.” Draven turned his back on her, something no one should ever do to a phouka, and continued walking down the flooding street.

  
Rhoslyn sucked in more painful air and pushed herself out of the mud and stones, glaring at the elf. She touched her cheek, checking for pain and winced.

  
“Fuck.” She rubbed it softly to null the pain and stumbled after Draven.

  
“You could have just said ‘shut up’ and ‘don’t touch me’ instead of slugging me in the face.”

  
No reply came and she couldn’t stop the growl that came from her throat.

  
She didn’t bother to try and hold a conversation with a man that wouldn’t even look at her much less talk to her, not to mention the fact that he just hit her.

  
They continued walking down various streets and came to an alley that Rhoslyn recognized. Draven turned into the alley, Rhoslyn a few paces behind him. They walked and turned down many different branches but Draven seemed to know exactly where to go.

  
Finally, they came to an iron gate. Rhoslyn snickered to herself, half expecting him to flinch away from the burning sensation or smell, but he didn’t. Draven walked through with no hesitation. Rhoslyn glared at the rippling gate and stepped through. She blinked, adjusting to the darkness as she always had done and found that Draven was staring at her.  
“What?” She asked rudely.

  
“Do your job.” He glared.

  
Rhoslyn glared back for a moment, and then stepped forward, further into the darkness. She walked past countless doors, all the while aware of the glowering elf behind her. She couldn’t hear his footsteps over the quiet sound of the darkness coiling around its self, but she knew he was there.

  
She continued on past all different colored and sized doors. Her gaze wandered over the darkness all around her, searching for any sign of a human child. She wished she knew more about this kid. It would have made the job much easier for her, but no, Mr. SecretsAndPunches doesn’t know anything about how these jobs work.

  
As she searched, looking behind empty doors and continuing on, her mind wandered to Fen and the fey who took his wings. She couldn’t help the anger she felt when she thought of it. The fact that some fey could be so cruel to Fen boggled her. She remembered Fen’s face in her bedroom after her strange happening. What could it have been and why did Fen freak out?  
Whatever it was, she needed to know.

  
She heard a hiccup and stopped abruptly, as did Draven when he saw she had.

  
“What are you wai” Draven nagged.

  
“Shh!” She hissed.

  
She flicked her ear towards the sound and found that it was to the far left. She ran quickly and quietly towards the sound and found a pale blue door. She stepped behind it and found a young human boy that looked no more than five years old. He was huddled against the door frame and couldn’t look less fragile than he did right then. His knees were pulled up against his chest, burying his face in his arms. All across his limbs, Rhoslyn could see cuts and bruises. There were some fresh cuts that had dried blood across them, already trying to heal the poor child.

  
Rhoslyn crouched beside the boy and his head jerked up. His blue eyes were reddened from crying. He sat silently for a moment, staring into Rhoslyn’s crimson eyes. Then he seemed to notice her ears and he cringed back against the door even more. His arms flew up, covering his head as he curled in on himself again.

  
Rhoslyn couldn’t take looking at this sad creature anymore. She felt like she was about to scream and go kill whoever did such things to this boy.

  
“Hey.” She whispered softly. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

  
“Liar.” The boy sobbed into his slender knees. “You’re just like them!” He tightened his grip around himself.

  
Rhoslyn didn’t think it was the time to tell the boy that she couldn’t lie. She had the feeling that he wouldn’t believe her anyway. Instead she sat with her back against the door frame and saw the boys gaze on her from under his arms.

  
“I’m Rhoslyn. What’s your name?”

  
He unfolded from himself slightly, looking up at her.

  
She looked down to him and smiled softly. “What?”

  
He shook his head. “No one’s asked me my name since I got here.”

  
Rhoslyn tilted her head slightly. “Then what did they call you?”

  
He fidgeted and played with his shoe lace. “Pet.” He mumbled.

  
Rhoslyn grimaced and clenched her fist. Those bastards didn’t bother to ask his name, and then call him such a degrading name. She really wanted to kill someone now. She clenched her teeth instead and relaxed.

  
“Well, what’s your real name?” She asked.

  
“Nicolas.” He mumbled again.

  
Rhoslyn didn’t have to force her smile this time.

  
“That’s a very good name, Nicolas.”

  
He looked up at her again and smiled. “It was my daddy’s name.”

  
“Was?” She asked, confused.

  
“He and mama died a year ago.” He mumbled again.

  
“I’m sorry to hear that. Where did you stay after that?”

  
“The orphanage.” He looked to the floor. “There wasn’t anybody to take me in, so I was put there.”

  
Rhoslyn shook her head. “No other family?”

  
“Nmn. But then, one of the monster’s in the closet said he’d take me to a nice place, one where I’m always wanted.” He shuddered.

  
“Hey.” Rhoslyn laid her hand on his head and tussled his brown hair, making his fringe fall in his eyes. “Don’t worry about that scary fey again, okay?”

  
He laughed and tried to shake off her hand. “So, you won’t make me go back?”

  
Rhoslyn smiled. “Nope. I would never want you to be in this kind of world and the Unseelie Court is definitely one of the worst to be in. I’ll get you back to the orphanage.”

  
“You’ll do ‘what’ exactly?” Came a cool, dark voice from behind her.

  
Nicolas’s eyes widened in fear as he looked up and behind Rhoslyn to see Draven glaring down at him. Rhoslyn jumped to her feet and swirled around, standing in front of the Nicolas protectively.

  
“You heard me.” Rhoslyn said calmly.

  
Draven’s eyes shot up to her and narrowed. “Phouka, you walk a dangerous path. Step aside and your job will be done.”

  
“Sorry. Things have changed. I can’t finish this job.” She smiled. “Don’t worry; I’ll get you a full refund.” She sneered.

  
Draven growled and lurched for her, too late. She had grabbed Nicolas and was standing about two yards away.

  
“I can’t let the Unseelie Court hurt a boy like this. I do have a conscience.”

  
“You will do your job and hand over the child!” Draven yelled, unsheathing a dagger from his belt and charging towards them.  


**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

“You’ll do your job and hand over the child!”

  
Rhoslyn turned and ran as fast as she could, pushing herself to go faster and not willing to look back. She knew there was a terrifying fey chasing after her, his intent all too obvious.

  
She held the trembling boy tighter in her arms. “I won’t let you go. I won’t let him take you back to that place.” She felt his grip tighten on her jacket as she pushed onwards. “It'll be okay.” She smoothed the hair from his eyes and smiled reassuringly. He still looked terrified out of his skin but he returned her smile.

  
Rhoslyn could feel Draven getting closer. She dashed to the side, keeping her speed, and took to jumping over doors and coils of darkness in her path. If she couldn’t out run him, she could at least try and slow him down.

  
As Rhoslyn ran passed countless doors, still clutching Nicolas in one arm, she shoved doors back behind her. She knew this probably wasn’t enough to even faze him, but it was worth a shot but she heard the splintering of the wood and knew all the more that it hadn’t.

  
Not looking down at Nicolas, she asked. “Nicolas, I need you to do something for me okay? Reach into my jacket and into the pocket and get what is inside and hand it here.” She held her free hand up to him and he quickly rearranged himself so he could open her jacket. He looked at the inside not quite sure if there was even a pocket in her jacket. He felt over the fabric, until he found a small fold. He reached in and felt something smooth and circular. He pulled it from the pocket and held it in his open hand, to find it was a snail’s shell. He looked up at Rhoslyn, confused, but she just smiled.

  
“Give it here and you’ll see.”

  
He took one last look at the shell and placed it in Rhoslyn’s opened hand. She smirked and closed her hand into a fist and a quick flash of light escaped from between her fingers. She hastily tossed the shell over her shoulder, making Nicolas lurch the slightest bit, shocked that she discarded it.

  
His attention was pulled abruptly to an explosion of smoke that appeared from where the shell had landed.

  
“A snail?” He puzzled. Rhoslyn chuckled as he stared at the giant creature. He looked so puzzled as one eye stalk extending slightly as if to see more clearly. Suddenly, the snail seemed to rock to one side and resettle in its place. Again it rocked to the side.

  
Nicolas gasped sharply as a hand covered in slime pushed its way under the shell with each rocking movement. Suddenly, the snail had rocked too far and was pushed over on its side. The snail’s eye stalks shrunk in almost swallowing its eyes as a sticky, mangled, and slimy Draven crawled out of the shell, swiping a hand across his face. Nicolas’s eyes met with Draven’s. Draven bared his fangs at the boy, letting out a snarl. Rhoslyn could feel the boy stiffen.

  
“What’s the matter? Can’t handle a bit of slime Draven?” Rhoslyn joked. Nicolas’s gaze jerked to her in awe and Rhoslyn smiled. “We’ll be okay. We are almost there.”

  
A roar boomed in the blackness of the Abyssal, which pulled Nicolas’s gaze back to Draven. He was after them again, and this time, he was gaining more ground in his pursuit.

  
Nicolas pulled on Rhoslyn’s coat. “H-He’s catching up!”

  
Rhoslyn looked back again. “Eesh, does he look mad.” She turned her attention back in front of her. “It’s okay. Look, there is the gate.”

  
Before them was the Abyssal gate, towering above them. Rhoslyn heard Draven's angry roar, far too close for her comfort. Rhoslyn pulled a last burst of speed to make it through the gate, just in time, before Draven’s hand could reach her.

  
The gate wavered as they passed through it, Rhoslyn jumping as they were halfway through the gate, further escaping the hand that followed suit. She vaulted off the corner of the building in the alley, twisting her body in air to land on the roof next to her, before Draven could see them. She dropped flat on the roof top, pressing Nicolas beneath her body while motioning for him to be silent.

  
She heard a scuff below, and her ears moved towards the sound, but there was nothing but silence besides the patter of rainfall for a few heartbeats. Then she heard a low growl and a loud crunch and bricks crumbling to the ground and footsteps following soon after.

  
She lay there motionless, as the rain pounded against her back. She rose slowly, motioning for Nicolas to stay put. She made her way silently to the edge of the roof and looked over.

  
Empty.

  
She sighed in relief as a smile spreading across her face. “He’s gone. It’s okay now Nicolas.” She looked down at the boy huddled against the wall as he curled in on him self trying to stop his shivering.

  
Rhoslyn reached under her leather belt and pulled out the cube she had packed with clothes and other items she thought might have been useful. She clenched it in her hand and spoke. "Expand."

  
The cube instantly responded and filled out to its full size. She opened it and pulled a cloak from inside the cube and offered it to the boy who took it gratefully. She also pulled a small vial of light blue fluid and a black compact of healing salve out, placing them in her pocket. She closed the cube and had it compact back to its smaller and more convenient size.

  
Nicolas pulled the hood over his head and pushed his soaked hair from his eyes, asking. "What now?" His voice barely audible over the rain.

  
Rhoslyn cocked her head. “You wanted to go home, didn’t you?”

  
His gaze fell to his shoes. “That’s not home.” He whimpered.

  
Rhoslyn walked over to him and crouched so she could see his face. “Nicolas.” She whispered.

  
The boy sniffled and wiped a soaked sleeve over his tearing eyes. “I don’t want to go back.” He hiccupped. “Nobody wants me there or even cares that I’m there. They forgot about me all the time and the other kids bully me and call me names because my parents were old and died. I don’t want to go back!” He grabbed Rhoslyn in a clumsy hug as he

sobbed.

  
Rhoslyn jumped, surprised by the sudden contact. She looked down at the boy at a loss of what to do. The boy sobbed clinging to her while tremors shook his tiny frame.

  
She didn't know why she did it, maybe because Nicolas reminded her of Fen after his wings were stolen, but she wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

  
He was too vulnerable to be here alone. He couldn’t stay here, but he didn’t want to go back either. What could you do with a kid in a world like this? And why did the Unseelie Queen want him? What could a human boy have that she wanted so desperately?

  
She shook her head clear of these thoughts for now and instead huddled Nicolas to her chest.

  
"Where are we going?" He sniffled.

  
"There's an Inn nearby. We'll go there and heal your wounds and figure out what to do next."

  
Nicolas looked puzzled, wiping his eyes. "We can't go to your house?"

  
"We can't go there right now." She stated. "Draven will look there for us first."

  
"Oh." Was all the boy's reply as Rhoslyn carried him and started jumping the rifts of the alleys below.

  
She softly jumped each rift till she was beside the Inn. She found a boarded window and jumped onto the sill, kicking the boards in and sliding through.

  
Once inside, she looked around the room and was glad to find that it still had at least a bed. She set Nicolas down gently, removed his soaked cloak and crouched at his feet, pulling out the vial and compact that she retrieved from the cube.

  
A faint blue glow from the vial caught Nicolas's eye. "What is that?"

  
"Something to help you feel better, it will make you tired but you'll feel better when you wake up." She pulled the cork out and held it out to him.

  
He took it warily and glanced up at her. "You won't leave me, right?" He asked hesitantly.

  
She smiled, and stroked his cheek. "I won't leave you."

  
He nodded and put the vial to his split lips and drank. She opened the compact and scooped up a small amount onto her fingers.

  
"This will help heal your cuts so they won't scar."

  
Nicolas nodded drowsily, already falling asleep from the potion. Rhoslyn layed him back and started lathering the salve on his injuries as he fell asleep.

  
As Rhoslyn worked gently on his wounds, she tried to think of what to do with Nicolas now.

  
She definitely wasn't going to give him back to the Unseelie Court, but taking him to the Seelie Court was out of the question as well. Some days the Seelie Queen could be just as bad or worse than the Unseelie Queen. So what did that leave? Most of the lower courts would do the same as the winter fey or eat him. The Gentry Court is a noble court who only kill if it's absolutely necessary, but, I don't think Nicolas would like being surrounded by more strangers, not to mention fey.

  
Rhoslyn sighed, closing her eyes and pinched the brim of her nose. She felt a hand on her leg and looked down.

  
Nicolas had turned over on his side facing her, his hand finding her pants as he slept. She couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips.

  
"Guess the kid answered the question for me." She whispered as she stroked the boys slightly curled hair.

  
She looked out the window that she had broken through. If she had to guess, it was still mid day. Tonight she would take Nicolas and move. For now, just let him rest.

  
After night had fallen, she roused Nicolas from his sleep.

  
"Nicolas?" She shook him gently.

  
He rubbed his eyes and mumbled. "Don't want to get up mommy." Turning away from her.

  
Rhoslyn winced and stroked his hair, moving it out of his eyes. "Nicolas, it's Rhoslyn."

  
His eyes opened slowly as he remembered what had happened. He sniffled and sat up wiping his eyes again.

  
"Sorry." He whispered.

  
Rhoslyn leaned over and hugged the boy tightly. "It's okay Nicolas."

  
He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

  
Rhoslyn cleared her throat and stood. "Well, let's get a move on."

  
"Where are we going now?" He asked from the bed.

  
"I've got a plan. Come on." She picked him up and walked to the broken in window and looked down into the grubby alley, making sure it was clear.

  
"We have to be absolutely silent now, okay?"

  
Nicolas nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck.

  
She jumped through the window and onto the building next to the Inn. Once there she ran towards the next and jumped. She started whispering under her breath, causing Nicolas to look at her. When she stopped he saw her flicker into transparency and he gasped.

  
Rhoslyn held a finger up to her lips and whispered as she ran. "It's just glamour, a magic spell to keep us hidden. Don't worry."

  
He nodded slightly and held on tighter as she picked up speed and jumped two or three buildings at a time.

  
Rhoslyn kept her pace searching for any pursuers while looking for Basil's Shop. She knew it should be in this district but she's never gone this way to get there.

  
She slowed when she found the building and silently dropped to the alley behind it, glancing around quickly to be sure no one had seen them.

  
Once she was assured no one had, she set Nicolas down holding her finger up to her lips again. She turned to the boarded window that she knew was her room and slowly pushed the boards out of place, trying to avoid making any sounds. Once there was enough room for her to get in, she slipped through and pulled Nicolas in, setting him down as her eyes adjusted.

  
She gasped and pressed him back against the wall. As he opened his mouth to speak she clamped her hand over his mouth and motioned for him to stay there.

  
She turned her attention back to her destroyed room, avoiding the squeaky floor boards, she went through the small room. Her dresser had been flipped, the mirror shattered and her bed stand thrown into the opposite wall.

  
Fear shook her as her eyes found her bed that was overturned and crushed with her now broken coat rack. She moved quietly over to it and searched for her most precious thing. Trying not to make any noise she moved what she could and tapped frantically on the floor and listened for a response.

  
When she heard nothing she went further into a panic until she heard a pleading voice. She listened for where it originated from and found that it came from the other side of her door. She crawled silently to the door and peered through the large fracture that had been made through it.

  
She found the pleading voice belonged to Basil, who was pinned down by her throat to the wooden counter by none other than a furious Draven.

  
Her speech was dragging like a goat again. "I don't knoooow of any place she would have goooone." A choking sound cut her off as a raised voiced replaced hers.

  
"That is a lie! You were the one set to watch over her progress and report if her glamour had regained any of its strength! You haven't spoken a word of it to my Queen so you must be hiding her!" He pressed harder on her throat as she coughed trying to speak.

  
"Don't know." Was all she could choke out before she was lifted and slammed down on the counter, splitting it in half.

  
Rhoslyn watched the scene play before her in horror. Basil was supposed to be informing about her to the Unseelie Court? How could she? Why would she? She pushed herself back from the door, stumbling backwards and whispering desperately.

  
"Fen! Fen! We have to go! Fen, where are you!" Nicolas stepped worriedly closer as she crouched to look under the remains of her bed and found a hole in the far corner of the wall, just as Fen came sneaking back in through it.

  
"Fen!" She called and held her hand out, shaking slightly. He jumped as he was called and turned, instantly seeing her panicked face. He ran to her searching her face over for any wounds and she picked him up and slid out from under the bed.

  
"We have to go now!" She whispered frantically, as she stood. Fen finally seeing the room as realization hit him and he turned a sickly pale.

  
Rhoslyn softly but quickly put Fen in her pocket and ran to Nicolas who was looking around hopelessly.

  
"Come on." She whispered and picked him up. She crossed her room to where her dresser sat before and placed her hand against the wall whispering under her breath again.

  
A dull light flashed revealing jumbled patterns and she quickly rearranges the pieces. The pieces flashed again showing a pattern of leaves. The pattern soon disappeared along with the wall, revealing a dense forest on the other side. Rhoslyn stepped through holding Nicolas close to her while pressing a hand loosely over her side pocket.

  
Once through she looked back at the portal and watched it close, capturing one of the falling leaves as it disappeared.  


**To Be Continued... (Maybe..)**

 

x0x0x0x0x

 

**I've lost all motivation to continue this story. I love it, and I have so many ideas that could go into it. But I just can't bring myself to continue for some reason.**

**I don't know, I may continue if people _really_ freaking want it, but otherwise I will not continue.**


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